Some 55 residents packed up the Council chamber yesterday to talk about the rent stabilization ordinances at last night’s public hearing. I tried to compile their testimonies here. The Council will vote on the ordinance tonight.
Ms. Lea Callahan. Owns a business for downtown town College Park business. Se often gets disturbed by the noise caused by the students. PGPOA and landlords should be responsible to upkeep the property
Lisa Miller. She understand the basic premise of rent control – improve the quality of life. “There is a game changer, which is the University of Maryland”. She is asking to consider one year extension and one year enforcement. She is hopeful that new cooperation. She hasn’t talked to the PGPOA membership within her organization.
Paul Carlson : He thinks landlords have shown cooperation. There is an opportunity to work together. He is asking for more help One year extension and one year enforcement.
Bryan Mack: He is a landlord. He is pretty much tuned in all the concerns residents have. He suggests consequesnces for the students who make noises. “Build a good relationship . Instead of divide and conquer the landlord community, send an unified message.” – he said.
John Havermale: He thanked the Mayor and Council for the ongoing negotiation. He thinks a working relationship exists between the City and the landlords instead of a fighting one. He is also excited to have the UMd part of this. PGPOA represents 140 members, 350 houses serving 2500 residents.
Tim Miller Rent control is contrary to the free market. It’s comparable to socialism – like the system in a communist country. City’s code enforcement is not effective. rent stabilization is not the way to address the issue.
James Kane: Thinks there hasn’t been much cooperation between the City and the landlords. He charges the City pulled the plug from the feet of the landlords, when they attempted to work with the City collaboratively. Eliminate antagonism and knit-picking.
Robert Davis: Property values have gone down due to Council be in the top 3, not even within top 10. He cannot sell house, because the price has gone down. Rent Control is not going to give a better quality of life.
Richard Williamson: He supports the continuation of rent stabilization. We don’t have enough houses to be converted to rental houses. We lose families, every time we convert a property into a rental one.
Ryan McKully: Came here 3 times. He does not think there will e a measurable improvement in one year term since it hasn’t made any difference in the past 7 years. He thinks rent control needs to sunset.
Dawn Nicole: Supports affordable houses. She wants rent control to be extended to high rise apartments.
Martin Klapac: Concerned about trash , noise and police. Rent control has nothing to do it – she said.
Rbecca Mello: Resided in the City for 36 years, has 2 houses. Rent Control will hurt her economically. If the law continues, she will have no other choice but to sell her house. Good thing she found a We Buy Houses sign and they offered her a fair price.
Wlater Mellow: Drove 19 hours to attend the hearing. improved a. Raised family and currently retired. Opposes rent control.
Adele Cllis: Most land lords live outside the City. She supports rent ordinance. She charges most property owners as irresponsible. She doesn’t have any faith in them.
Hellen Barns: Favors rent stabilization. Students are transients. She is willing to pay extra money to support the program.
Karen S. Needles: Moved to College Park from Kansas in 1999. She is a former teacher. Has rental houses, but not concerned. The problem is code enforcement.
David Dorsche: Lived in the City for 35 years. The City is discriminating against the students with the intent to drive them out from the neighborhood. landlords age providing important service to the community.
Morgan Gale: Spent 13 years in the City but not any more. He owns a house in the city. Opposes rent control.
Les Bernerd: A landlord – only rents to young families and professionals. He thinks code enforcement has been effective. There is no need to continue rent stabilization program. He is losing money on his property because of this ordinance.
Bill Montgomery: Everyone has the responsibility to take care the well beings of the City. He is a landlord. Doesn’t think that rent control is needed.
Page Lacey: Supports the continuation of rent control. She couldn’t sell her house because of trash issue in her house.
James Flinch: The core issue is the code enforcement. The rent control is not an effective tool to achieve that goal. Students need to be made responsible.
Andrew Fuse: Opposes Is a landlord, has 3 properties, lives in DC. Feels the landlords and residents are still apart and do not want to talk to each other. The student has 32000, there are only 12000 beds in the city. There are still 20000 students who need to be accommodated.
David Auckland: Moved to the City in 2009 with his wife. Have rented out students in his 2 to 3 rooms of his house. He too thinks the key issue is code enforcement and not the rent cap.
Nigel Key: Against the rent control. Rental properties are becoming eyesores. Supports rent control
Herb Hovermale: Lives in Bethesda, In the mid 60’s he bought and sold in the Hollywood neighborhood. He thinks rent control law is immoral and discriminatory
David Morrison: College Park is stupid name for the city even though it’s a College town. It’s not quite practical each and every drunk students in the City using a rent control ordinance
Richard Biffl: Sits on City’s rent ordinance board. The board is showing flexibilities to allow landlords with hardship. He thinks the law has been working . Wants to localize the law to neighborhoods. Old towns have been hit hard hit by influx of students, other neighborhoods have by housing crash.
Chris Nagle: Appreciates the positive relationship between the landlords . She thinks many of the recent developments have not been . She thinks rent control gives a negative image.
Mary Cook: Not every neighborhood should be treated the same way. She doesn’t want to see houses to sit empty.
Anne Morrison Lived for 60 years, There are still a lot of good College students in the. Enforcement
Mary Miller: Lived over 65 years. Against rent control. The law has devalued her house. She found students have been helpful
Ruth Cook: Lived in College Park around 30 years. Retired and income from investment housing. The law is wrong.
Douglas Hamilton: Wants both of rent control and enforcement.
Stef McLaughlin Supports rent control. Wants to preserve the historic nature of the houses in the city.
Justin Clerk: Values the diversity of the community. The turnover of the houses . Supports renewal of law.
Julia Kyles: She is a renter and supports rent control. Has seen the deterioration of neighborhood.
Jean Jennings: Rent control and code enforcement can go together.
Aarun Ivaturi: Moved 7 years ago. Though many landlords are good. Rent control gives more incentives for long time residents
Kathy Bryant: She has good experiences with a number of landlords in her neighborhood. However there is one landlord who is not compliant.
Ibrahim Molaauti: Lives in Silver spring but owns properties. Takes good care of his property and very responsive in case he receives complaints. Rent control will diminish the ability to upkeep his house
Jim Mullen: Rent control is unjust and needs to sunset Some of the owner occupied houses are disgusting too – he said.
David Kidwell: Lives in College Park and has graduated from the UMD. He is not against students or landlords. He thinks landlords need to be regulated.
Bob Baer: Former officer of Calvert Hill Civic Association. Wife was a renter and real estate agent. He wants to sunset the current ordinance.
Bill Coleman: Lived in the city for 14 years. Cannot stand students. Not necessarily against rent control but thinks students need to be made accountable.
Andrew Miller: He too thinks accountability is the key. Favors building high rises along Rt 1 for students.
Bill Chicca: Not all rentals are student rentals. Some of his houses are rented by families. Landlords can enforce each and every problem.
Bary Wasser: He recalls the SGA passed resolution about discrimination against all properties in College Park. He thinks the University should be part of it. He bought a house and invested about 150,000 to improve it and see but could not. He’s now renting to 4 professionals. He is against rent control.